Electrostatic generator



A. w. slMoN 2,004,352

BLECTROSTATIC GENERATOR Filed July 5, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 11, 1935.

June l1, 1935. A. w. slMoN I 2,004,352

i mbrnosu'rrc nnm'ron ruud July s. 1933 4 sheets-sneu 2 N Inwnl'pr .Eyrfd Ill Simon.

/i c l.

J2! horrify- June 1l, 1935. A. w. sxMoN v 2,004,352

' y BLBCATROSTATIC GENERATQR l rund .my s, 1933 4 sheets-shui 3 4 A` 0 I 46' 4 4 /J A wf v ,Inventor .Elfrcd Zll. Simon.

June 1l, 1935. A. w. SIMON LEc'rnos'rnxc summon Filed July 5, 19325 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor .Efred Z0. S, m0n.

Homey Patented June 1l, 1935 #UNITEDv STAT-Es PATENT ormon- This invention has general reference to electrostatic generators, or devices for producing an electrostatic diiference of potential by mechanical transportation of electric charges against the 5 gradient of potential of an electrostatic field.

Buch electrostatic generatorsas I have reference to may be known as static machines, or as voltage multipliers, depending upon the manner in which they are used. The essential principle o f operation, however, is the same in either case, as will be brought out hereinafter, and the two forms of the devices are properly classed toge'ther under the name o f electrostatic generator. YIhef'pxeaent inventinngwpglglaceordingly be described :with-tatu dorms i ln static machines as heretn ructed, the carrier element, or elementsfwhose function it is to physically transport or carry the, electric charges against the gradient of potential, oonsists usually of a rotating disc of dielectric,` with or without metallic (depending on the type of machine. i. e. whether it is a sector-less or sectored machine). The electric charges are either induced directly on the metallic sectors or deposited on the surface of the sectors or the surface of the rotating disc by means of gasecus ionization (corona) produced in the space between the surface of the sector or disc and the comb" of the neutralizing rod placed near. In the first case, where the charges are directly induced on the sectors, the brush of the neutralizing rod makes direct contact; in the other, where gaseous ionization is utilized, the brushes or combs of the neutralizing rod are out of contact-with but near the sectors. The essential tunctionof the carrier or carriers, after charge is' induced on them, is to transport this charge away from the vicinity of the inductors, drawing it away against the attraction of the charge on the iriductors, and so doing work which appears as increased electrical energy and therefore increased difference of potential between inductors and carriers. The charge in the case of sectored machines iscarried in the form of charges residing on the surfaces of the sectors; in the case of sec'torless machines, as charges residing lon the surface of the rotating dielectric plate or disc.

'Ihe current delivered by such a machine is proportional, other things being equal. to the speed of the 'carrier or carriers, and it is therefore desirable to increase the speed of the rotating plate (which either forms the carrier itself, in the case of sectorless machines, or is the vehicle by which the metallic sectors are carried around, in the case of sectored machines) as much as possible. However, since this plate must be composed of a solid dielectric material, such as glass, ebonite, etc., it is dimcult, due tothe low tensile strength of sum substances, to drive them atthe great speeds without danger of breakage.

Also in order to increase the voltage delivered by such a machine it is necessary to increase the diameter of the rotating plate, which again necessitates slower speeds and greater expense due to the difficulty oi' manufacturing large discs of solid dielectric material (e. g. Pyrex glass).

It isa primary object of my invention to provide i an improved static machine, or more generally speaking, an improved Velectwstaizic generator, and especially one wherein the usual moving solid dielectric carrier cf the electric charges is eliminated;

Instead of utilizing the usual comparatively darge, solid dielectric carrier member for the electric charges, my invention employs a A gaseous carrier, the. electric charges existing in the form of electrically charged particles or ions (gas ions or finely divided liquid or solid particles suspended in a gas) carried or propelled up the grade of potential by a forced circulation of this gase ous carrier. It will readily be seen that this method allows very high speeds to be attained and 'so permits large currents to be delivered. Also the departure from a large moving solid dielectric greatly simplifies the insulation of the various parts of the machine, since it is not necessary to employ insulation'materials of great mechanical strength. Also it is lnot diicult or emnsive to construct machines of this type on a considerable scale-an imperative requirement if high voltages are to be obtained. Furthermore, -the use of a gas as the carrier greatly reduces the leakage which always occurs along the surface of dielectric plates due to their imperfect insulating qualities. As is well known a gas is a much more perfect insulator than most solid substances.

The wfs in which the invention can be carried out are various, the essential feature in each case being, however, a forced and confined circulation of a, gas containing 'electrically charged particles, which may be either gas ions, or charged foreign particles carried along by the gas. In order to demonstrate how the invention may be carried out a number ci designs of machine will be described, although it must be understood that the broader aspects of the invention are not to be )limited to the particular forms of machine described, since any form o f machine employing a forced circulation of a conilnedgas containing 2 2,004,352 electrically charged particles will fall under the The collector is shown provided with a discharge broad scope or this invention. ball 2l.

Several possible forms oi' the invention are Avigorous circulation oi'the gasinthelnuloiw shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein: ing tube is maintained by the blower or pump.

Fig. l is a length section o! a simple form of Asisevident trom Fig. 1, the directional thiscir- I.

trically conductive, isshown with a binding post say, under these conditions the system would 50 the invention.' culation is from the inductor 2l to the collector Fig. 2 is a transverse section on line 2-2` of 2l. The ionizing electrode Il is permanently Fig. l; grounded and the inductor 2U is given initially o Fig. 3 is o transverse section on line 8-4 of sutilcient charge'to produce gaseous ionization or corona at the surface of the ionizing electrode Il. l0 Fig. 4 4is a diagram o! a double unit voltage The apparatus then functions asfo1lows: multiplier; Let it be supposed that the inductor Il is given 5 is a diagram of a modiiled double unit a positive charge or sumcient magnitude to provoltage multiplier; duce gaseous ionization or corona within the cil'- Fig. 6 is a perspective view o! a closed system culating gas in the zoi-e immediately surrounding l5 static machine in accordance with the invention: fhe inner ionizing electrode It. The application Fig. 7 is a central sectional view of the tube .ci -this charge to the inductor creates anelectrooi the machine oi Flg. 6; static ileld between the inductor and the ionizing Hg. 8 is a, view similar to Fig. but showing electrode Il, and due to the relative. physico! a modiiied arrangement oi the machine; shapes and areas ci the inductor and electrode. 20

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal detail section ot a rec- 'and the tact that the radius of curvature o! the ianguiar tube having a modiiled electrode land former is much greater than'the radius o! curvoinductor arrangement, being a view taken on line ture of the lattenvthis field will be o! much higher S-S o! Fig. 10; gradient at the side adjacent the small ionizing Fig. 10 .is a transverse section taken on line electrode than at the side adjacent the inductor. ,2.5 il-in of Fig. 9; The charge applied to Inductor 2l (or the poten- Fig. l1 is a View olla mod iiled form of machine; tial diilerence between inductor and electrode) Fig. 12 is a vertical longitudinal section o! the must be suiiicient to produce an electrostatic machine oi Fig. 1l: and field adjacent electrode` I8 which is sumciently Fig: 18 is a section taken on line -II oi' high toproduce gaseous ionization or coronainl ,3 EL 12; layer or zone about that electrode; and the exist- Fig. i shows a simpiiiled embodiment oi the ence oi' this condition meansthat in a zone nen" invention in a form which may be considered as the electrode both' positively and negatively elec# a voltage multiplier. Numeral I0 designates a trined gas particles or ins are produced. If dielectric insulating tube, or Pyrex glass or other there were no circulation of gas the negative ions, 35 suitable material, connected at its inlet end H due to the attraction of the positively charged l with a tube i2v leading from a suitable fan or inductor, would migrate across and attach themblower, conveniently designated at i2. In Fig. '1 .selves to the inner wall of the dielectric tube next the opposite end of tube l0 is shown as dischargto the inductor, while the positive ions, due t# the ing to atmosphere', althoughi! desired the tube 'repulsion exerted on them by the positively 40 may be arranged i'or closed circulation in the charged inductor. would be driven in to the inner manner hereinafter disclosed in connection with electrode. When a sufficient number oi' the Fig. 8. negative ions had migrated across and attached Insulating tube I0 carries near its inlet end a themselves to the inner wall o! the tube, the

support i5 for an ionizing' electrode i6, the eleccorona would stop, for then the electric charge o! l5 trode here shown being in the form simpb of a the inductor would be "bound" by an equal -and centrally mounted wire, although it may take opposite chargeon the inner wall of the tube and other forms such as those hereinafter described. could exert no eiect on the ionizing electrode to 'Ihe electrode support. which is preferably elecproduce further ionization' or corona-.that is to l1 for an electrical ground connection I8 for the come to equilibrium. I would then have essenelectrode. Around tube In opposite electrode I6 tially a charged condenser, oi' which the inductor is the inductor 20, here shown in the form of a formed one plate. the inner wall oi' the tube the metallic Cylinder on the outside of the tube, ai other, and the material or thetube the dielectric. though the inductor may be and often preferably The result could also be described by saying that 55 is on the inside as hereinafter mentioned. This the charge of the ionizer had leaked across to the ind'uctor is shown with a binding post 2 I, to which inner surface of the wall of the glass tube. Y

is connected a wire 22 leading to a battery 23 or However, with a circulating instead of a staotner means for producing a difference of potentional-y ges, the negative ions, as they attempt tn tial, the other side oi the battery being grounded. migrate SCIOSS toward the lnductor. are caught by 00- This source oi eiectroxnotive force is of advantage, theses Stream and are swept along by it. the relthough not basic-ally essential in all cases, and the atively 10W gradient eld dlccnt the inductor '.'if device will mst be considered without it. At 24, being 0f insufcint intensity .t0 move the ions to 1 at an appropriate distance beyond the electrode the mductor m the Presence 0f the HBS Stream r ..4 and surrounding inductor, is a collector, and the up the tube' Thus' instead of travelling um as collector may be simply another conductor passthe tube and lodging on the inner W81! next t0 the Inductor, the negative ions .carried l t' ing through the wall of the insulating tube beyond an? 0118 he the inductor in the direction of gas circulation. glhb ggsittfe gtgn frcircmaum 0f un l although a comb type collector substantially as high gradient nem Bactartg aftncdl b5' the o used on the usual rotating disc static machine, e nner e tfd a 'd l or a Faraday cage `(metallic cylinder with ends n are he d by the inner electrode' and e tm c not carried up the tube by the gaa blast. The Used by diSCS 0f Wire Screen? may be used t0 5detrect o! the inductor continues now unabated vantage. The form here shown is simply a oonand more negative ions are continu ductive cylinder placed in the wall 0! tube 1B. and immediately carried along the n'lreer: 7d

cocasse:

obtains therefore under these conditions, l. e., with a circulating gas, a continuous stream of electric charges oi one sign, or en electric convection current, passing along the length of the tube. 1n order to `maire this. current available it is only necessary to insert the collecting electrode at some point in the stream beyond the inductor, to which collecting electrode the gas ions (charged particles) will give up their charges.

An important point isto be notedin connecti' with the stream ci charges. Since the positively charged inductor exerts an attractive torce on.

the negative ions in the stream, against which attractive torce the ions are drawn away.v workmust be done, i. e.. energy must be expended, and this work must appear as increased electrical energy and thereifore also increase potential', oi' the charges as they ,travel along the tube. Also, as the collector charges up, it will exert a repulsive force on the similarly charged oncoming ions, against winch repulsive torce the ions must be moved, which means that additional energy must be expended or work done to bring the ions up to the collector. .lill this work, it is readily seen, is done by the gas blast, since it propels the ions up the tube against the forces exerted on them by inductor and collector.

A disadvantage of the simple form c! machine just described. namely, wherein the inductoxA is given an initial charge, is that, due to the leakage which inevitably occurs in practice due to imperfection of insulating materials. the charge originally given to the inductor .may gradually leak away, so that the inductor would have to be frequently recharged. This condition can be easily remedied, however. by permanently connectin; the inductcr to .a source oi constant potenzie as the battery. generator. etc., indicated'in 1 at 28, which maintains the potential, and therefore also thecharge; o! the inductor at a constant value, in spite oi the leakage, which always occurs in practice. I

Frou a certain point ot view, to be immediately set forth, the two simple forms c! machines Just described may be calledvoltase multipliers. When the ions are very close to thel inner electrode theyhave approximately the potential of this electrode, and since between the inductor and the ionizing electrode a source of potential is inserted, the potential dierence between the ions and the inductor, just as the ions leave the ionizing electrode, will be the voltage of this source. However, as stated above, in order to draw the ions up the tube against the attraction oi the oppositely charged inductor and the repulsion of the similarly charged collector, work must be done, and this work appears asincreased electrical energy and therefore also increased potential of the charges with respect to the inductor.

As the ions arrive at the collecting electrode then, they will be at much higher voltage relative to the inductor than when they lei't the ionizing electrode, and, consequently, the voitage of the collector will become much larger in magnitude than the voltage applied between inductor and ionizing electrode. Hence it may be said that the machine multiplies the applied or input voltage. In particular, it raises the voltage (output voltage) ci the collector to a denite multiple oi that applied between the inductor and ionizer; it cannot raise it indefinitely, because as the collector charges up it will counteract the eiiect ci the inductor on the ionizing electrode, in particular its eilect o! producing ionizacon at the meer@ electrode, and when the co1- lector has suilicient voltage it will hold theixiductor in balance, at which point the charge current along the tube is greatly reduced and the system comes to a state oi' dynamic equilibrium.

It is seen that the machine is in fact an electric generator, since it converts 'mechanical energy into electrical energy. In particular, it

- is an electrostatic generator. because the conver sion of energy ooeursprimarily through the nie-.-

dium o! electrostatic nelds. By an4 electrostatic f against theseelectrostaticIorroesioragain'sttlacv electrostaticeld.-

In order further t increase or multiply the,

voltage, two or more such machines as have now been described ma! beconnected electrically in series, or combined into a single machine.` Por instance,asshowninl?lg.,aimitconslstlngd tube ila, electrode lia, Inductor 28a and collector No, is connected in', series with a unit conslitting of tube IIb, electrode lfb, Inductor 1lb and collector 2lb. The electrodeA and inductcr c! the ilrst machine are shown potentiated by a battery 28u-, The potential of collector 24a of the nrstmachineiscarriedbyawireandimpressed on the inductor 2lb of the second. ao thatthesecondstartswithaninitialcharge Aequal to the nnalcharge of the nrst. It la evident that this process oi adding series units may be repeatfd es many times as desired.

'Withregardtothepolarityorlsnotthe charge oi' thevarious elements,` it the inductie' c! the iirst is charged positively, i. e.. i! the positive terminal of the source oi potential is connected to this inductor. the ions leaving the ion'zing electrode and carricd by the gas blast .will of course be negative, hence the collector will also be negative. Taking into account both voltage and polarity, under these conditions the collector o! the first machine will assume a larger negative voltage than the posi-tive voltage i m pressed on the inductor. In the second machine the ions csnied by the gas blast are positive, since the inductor of this machine is negative, hence the-collector o! the second machine will be positive. and the voltage of the second collector will reach a much higher value than that c1 the first collector. The process, of course, can be repeated by adding another unit; and so on until any desired voltage has been attained.

Two unitscan also be soarrangedinasystem that the collector of one shall be positive and that o! the other negative, as in Fig. 5. As there indicated, the two electrodes itc and iSd ot tubes charge balls 3S and, Il of collectors 24e and 24d,

respectively, collector 24e and ball 35 ,being negative. and collector 24h and ball 36 being positive. as will be apparent.

Another application o! the principle ol niv invention is shown in Fig. 6. This machine is bisynunetric. having two inductors 4U, di, two ionizing electrodes l2 and and two collectors Il and l5, arranged in the `order ahovm in a single closed dielectric. tube 4l, in the present instance bent into a double or loop form as illustrated. The tube is here shown as supported on insulating stands 41; The electrode supporte 4l may bemountedas'atintheside wallsoithedielectric tube vat its end curves.. so as to extend axially. down thetube' `(sce Fig. 7). The inlet end'ldot the tube is' connected with the discharge side ol a blower. conventionally indicated at tl, and the outlet end la o! the tube is connected to the intake' o! the same blower. the tube and blower thus forming in this case l. closed ring circulation system. Thus the blower -will continuously circulate the carrier gas in the direction trom the ionizing electrode 42 to the collector-4l. to the ionizing electrode Il, t'o thecollector 4l. thence through the blower and back to the ionizing electrode 42, and then again through the same cycle. The rst inductor 4B and the second collector 4i (in the order o! ges circulation) are connected by a conductor 4I, and the second inductor Il and the first collector 4I are connected by a conductor Il. said condoctors being provided with rods and discharge balls Il and il, respectively. The two ionizing electrodes are connected together by a conductor I8. I! thelnductor t has now a positive charge,y

the eine action as already described in the case ci the simple machine of Fig. -l will take place between the inductor Il, the ionizing electrode 52, and the collector u, that is, the positive inductor 4l will produce ionization at the surface oi the ionizing electrode 4 2, negative ions being produced and'canied to the collector 4l, which then charges up negatively. The voltage of the collector Us then impressed on the induotor di, which thus becomes negatively charged, and

draws positive ions out of the ionizing electrode 48. These positive ions are then carried' to the collector 5. charging it positively, and the voltage so produced is in tum impressed on the inductor G Icraising it to ahighcr voltage than it originally had. This higher voltage in turn draws a greater negative charge current out of the ionizing electrode 42 causing the collector` 44 to rise to still higher negative voltage. which is impressed on the inductor 6I so that the latter in turn draws a greater current out oi the electrode it, and so on. It will be seen that by this process the volt-- age of the collectors and of the discharge balls, must continually and rapidly increase and the current carried by the gas blast becomes continuall: larger.

Of course it willb: readily seen that i! `the inductor ot the simple machine o! Fig. l is charged negatively instead of positively as we assumed in the explanation oi its action, the same action will taire place except that the polarity o! the elements is every1-:here opposite that given. In particular, i! the inductor 20 of the machine oi Pig i is charged negatively. positive ions are produced near the surface of the ionizingelectrode lt and are carried up the tube and charge the collector 2l positively. Similarly in the machine lust described, namely that of Figs'. 6 and 7, i! the' polarity of the Inductor 4i) is opposite to what has been assumed, the action of the machine will be exactly the same except that the polnrities will be everywhere reversed.

It will be readily appreciated that the unde`r.

lying fundamental is the' same in the voltage multiplier type of machine as shown in Figs.

l to 5 and the static machine proper as shown in Figs, 6 and 7. The diiierence Abetween the two lies inthe arrangement in Illg. 6 whereby the.

last collector oi a series like that o i Fig. 4 char!! the nrst induotor of the series. The static ma chine proper, as the machine illustrated infill.

8end7maybecalled,canbeconvertedintoa two unit multiplier by impressing a constant source of potential on the inductcr 4t. and breek` ing the connection between the inductor 4I and the collector I5, or it can be converted into a single unit multiplier by also breaking the connection between the collector M .and the inductor Il. In .the drst case (connection between Il and (i broken and voltage impressed between ll pressed onV the second, which in turn multiplies it again; and in addition the voltage obtained in the second is no w -reimpnessedon the dnt to be turtherfmultiplied, and s'o on indednitely. It B seen that the last type oi machine .must then step up indeiinliely the voltage impressed originally on the rst unit. 1n practice oi .course a limit il set' to the obtainable voltage, the lixnii*r to the voltage for the machine ci Figs'. 6 and 7 being established by the arcover voltage from in`` ductor to electrode wire.

Both the voltage multiplier 'and the static .machine convert mechanical energy into electrical energy through the medium of electrostatic nelds. In both cases in the machines here disclosed the electric charges are moved by the gas blast against the electrostatic forces ci attraction and repulsion exerted on them': the fundamental principle is therefore the same, bothfbelonging to the genus of electrostatic generators.

While in Figs. i, 4 and 5 I have shown the gas passing to the open air aiter leaving the collector. an alternative arrangement, particularly il a gas other than air is used or if air or other gas under pressure for better, insulation is used, is to make the circulation closed, as in the arrangement of Fig. 6, the same gas being continually circulated. With regard to all the machines oi the types here described, whether closed or open circulation is used is entirely optional; whether in particular in multiple units (by a unit should be understood the combination oi inductor. ionizing electrode, and collector) the gas is circulated in succession past all tleunits and then to the open air (open circulation), or baci: again to the ilrst (closed circulation), or whether eachunit has separate streams in turn either open or closed.

With regard to the gas streamtube it may be pointed out-that it need not be oi insulating materia! throughout its entire length; only that portion between induttor and collector and a sulicient length on either side ci these elements to properly insulate them need be o! insulating material. At some point in this tube thedevicc which circulates the gas is attached, preferably lectcrs, which in practice would be connected nlm to the load; in the event that the load be comes short-circuited the inductors would be discharged and the action oi the macchine would cease. Also if a low`resistance load were connected across the collectors,` the voltage across.

the inductors would be lowered and the eflectlve current reduced. In order to obviate these ditncultles it is better to employ separate collectors for the inductcrs and the load. a portion ci the charge or current nowlng in the tube being appropriated to maintain'the charge oi' the inductors while the remainder is collected and :dowed through the load. This can be accomplished by inserting two additional small lauxiliary collecting or appropriating" electrodes or combs 55 and il. one in each stream at a point preceding the collector proper, as shown. in Fig. 8. The auxiliary or appropriating electrode of each unit is connected by a suitable conductor. as conductors $1 and I8, to the inductor of the other unit, and maintains the charge of this inductor irrespective of what may happen inthe load circuit. which is then simply connected between the two main collectors. This machine has a iurther advantage over the machine oi Fig's. 6 and 7 in that the inductor is not given the high potential o! the collector on the other' side of the machine, which greatly lessens the tendency for arc-over to occur between inductor and electrode,

7 and this means that the machine can charge up to a much higher voltage.

As in static machines known to the prior art, condensers may be connected in the system to steady the current flowing through the load or store up charges where it is desired to discharge large quantities o! electricity at intervals. For

instance. in Fig. 6, Leyden Jar condensers C and.

C1 are shown connected toinduct'ors 40 and Il, respectively, the other sides o! the` codensers being grounded.4 In Fig. 8 thecondensers could be connected to the main collectors 4 and I5.

While in the machines described so tar the 'ionizing electrodehas been described' asa wire amxe'd centrally in the insulating tubeand parallel to the axls of the tube, this arrangement has the drawback that the permissible length o! the wire is limited and. therefore the current drawn from it is relatively small. for a reason now to be made clear. The ions after the:v leave the ionizing electrode are continually acted on by three forces: One, that due to the electric held between ionlzer and inductor, which force urges them in a direction from ionizer to inductor. i. e. in a direction transverse to the directlon of circulation of the gas; second, that due to the streaming gas which urges them along 4the stream; and a third torce. that due to the electric field between collector and ionizer.- which torce tends to urge the ions in a direction parallel to the stream but opposite to it.

The gas ions. ci course, will move in obedience to all these three iorces. The resultant o! these three forces* can be divided into two components, one parallel to the direction oi' the circulation, the other perpendicular or transverse to it. I! the second ot these is much greater everywhere. than the first, the ions will be urged across the tube and lodge on the wall next to the inductor; but i'. the first component is everywhere the greater, the ions will be carried up the axis of the tube as desired. Now, any ion will travel in. a curved path in obedience to these forces, and the effective length o! the ionizing wire will be determined or limited. for a given velocity .oi gas blast, by the course taken by the ions leaving the moet advanced point (with respect to the approaching gas) ci the ionizing wire. It this course is such that the ions reach the wall of the tube before they get out oi the inuence oi the -ilielfl between ionizer and inductor (for example the course a g o!.Fig. l), then the wire must be shortened; it they takeaooursesuchas boithengure,the wire -is o! satisfactory length.

Another arrangement involves an-ionizlng wire transverse to the direction oi this being o! considerable advantage since then the wire canbemade'aslongasdesiredandtherefore the ionizing current made as great as This is effected in the arrangement oi Figs. 9 and 10, by making the cross section ot the insulating tube 60 rectangular instead oi' circular, the transverse ionizing electrode or wire il being placed. centrally and parallel to the long axis o! the rectangle. Under these conditions the inductors would preferably take the form of parallel plates N 62 placed parallel to the wire at opposite sides of the tube. here being shown within the walls of the tube. Placing the inductors inside the tube walls is oi advantage in preventing the tube i'rorncharging up, and may be preferable iin-al1 of the other forma oi the invention instead oi' the outside inductors illustrated in some cases. Of couraeV the cross section ci the tube need not be rectangular, but may be o! other suitable connguration. The electrical connections can be either 30 taken out by wires running backward against the direction of circulation, or the charging electrode can 'be continued out through the side oi the tube as at 6I and the inductor plates provided with connections through the tube wall as at ll in il Figs. 9 and l0.

For still larger currents a number o! any of the described units are placed in parallel electricalY relation. Itis obvious that such arrangement maybeusedwithanyoftheformsoi'generator described above. There are some lirlvantages to be gained in the bestchoiceoigsstobeusedinthesystem. The mobility of gas ions in air is so great that. with the speeds inclined by the 'held strengths which 45 may be used, there may be some dimcultyin sweeping the ions along the, tube. However, there are certain gases, notably sulphur dioxide and i( ammonia, in which the mobility ci the ions is greatly'redu'ced, and the use of such gases reduces 50 i any difficulty due to high velocity of ions in the electric eld. I may therefore prefer to utilize a blast consisting of a gas in which the ions have low mobilita- It may also be noted that the gas is under pressure due to the action of the blower. and that, especially in the closed ring form of the machine (Fig. 6, for instance) this pressure is easily maintained at a substantial value. This pressure also has a tendency to reduce mobility of the ions through the gas, and excessive ionic 00 mobility may therefore be controlled to alarge extent through increase oi' the gas pressure. The invention has so far been described with gas ions chieily in view as carriers for the elecl/ trical charges. I also contemplate other carriers for the charges. among which are to be mentioned, tlrst, finely divided, solid particles, 2 as pith balls, sand, rouge. or any material sumciently light to be circulated by a blast, and sec- 0nd. liquid Particles, as aenfmgiletiasinisis. 7 atomiinsjggm-Thely divided solid met. 'tl-fo: liquid mist, as the case may be. is passed for instance through the corona discharge b etween charged electrode and inductor, and so charged, thus producing electrically charged 78` connected between the appropriatlng electrode of each side of the generator and the inductor of the other side of the generator.

2. An electrostatic generator. comprising a dielectric conduit, means for forcing a blast oi dielectric iiuid through said conduit, an inductor and an ionizing electrode associated with said conduit and adapted to charge said dielectric iiuld predominantly to one polarity, a collector in said tube removed in the direction of huid ilow from said inductor and ionizing electrode. another ionizing electrode and inductor associated with said conduit beyond said collector, said second ionizing electrode and inductor adapted to charge the dielectric fluid predominantly to one polar-iw, and another collector in said tube removed in the direction of iiuid now from the second ionizing electrode and inductor, an appropriatlng electrode in the conduit between the iirst ionizing electrode and inductor and the rst collector.

adapted to take charge from the huid, an electrical connection between said appropriating electrode land the second inductor, a second charge appropriating electrode in the conduit between the second ionizing electrode and nductor and the second collector adapted to take charge from the fluid, and an electrical connection between 'said second appropriating electrode and the first .duid are' charged positively and negatively and the particles of one polarity are attracted to the high gradient -side of the electrostatic iield and held back against the current of dielectric iiuld,

' the electrostatic eld being of sufficiently low gradient atthe low side that the attraction of the oppositely charged particles thereto is overcome by the force of the current of dielectric huid and such particles are carried on by said current, and taking the' charge oil the latter uid particles at a point in the path of the dielectric fluid current beyond the point of charging'.

4. The herein described method, that includes creating and maintaining a conned current of dielectric iiuid, introducing to the current of di-V electric uid a liquid mist. creating in the path o! movement oi the mist-laden huid an electrostatic iield of gradient falling materially from one side to the otherv and or sulclently high gradient at the high Side to produce a corona discharge in the mist-laden uid without simultaneous arcing, whereby the uid is ionized positively and negatively, the fluid ions of one polarity are at tracted to move out of the uid current in the direction oi' the high gradient side o! the iield and the particles oi liquid mist are charged by encounter with the remaining ionized particles, 'particles of liquid mist thus charged to said one polarity being attracted by the high gradient side oi the. electrostatic field and tending to be held back against the huid current by the relatively high intensity of that part o( the field, and the low gradient side oi -the electrostatic field being of such lower intensity as to permit the'opp sitely charged particles o! liquid mist which are attracted thereto to be carried beyond the eleotrostatic eld by the force of the current ot di-k electric iiuid. and taking the charge on' the lab ter particles of mist at a point in the path of the ,dielectric iiuid current beyond the point o! charl- 5. In an electrostatic generator. the combination oi' a dielectric conduit; means for forcing a.

` suspended liquid mist into said conduit at a point ahead oi said electrodes, all in such manner that particles of such mist are encountered and charged by the gaseous ions predominantly of one polarity in the electrostatic eld between said electrodes, andV a charge collector in said conduitv beyond said pair oi' electrodes in the direction 'of gas flow.

6. An electrostaticy generator. comprising a dielectric conduit, means i'or forcing a blast of dlelectric fluid through said conduit, an inductor and an ionizing electrode associated with said conduit and adapted to charge said dielectric fluid predominantly to one polarity, a collector in said tube removed in the direction of fluid now from said inductor and ionizing electrode, another ionizing electrode and inductor associated with said conduit beyond said collector. said second ionizing electrode and inductor adapted to charge the dielectric' iiuid predominantly to one polarity. another collector in said tube removed in the direction oi iluid iiow from thc second ionizing electrode and inductor, an electrical conductor connected between .the first mentioned inductor and the second mentioned collector. and another electrical conductor connected between the first mentioned collector and the second mentioned inductor.

ALFRED W. SIMON. 

